Pilot controlled filling nozzle



June 1 1957 H. c. KRONE ETAL PILOT CONTROLLED FILLING NOZZLE 2: Sheets-Sfieet 1 Filed Nov. 24, 1954 INVENTORS: fizwd'aiflweghgggzmmg fl;

' BY I June 1957 H. c. KRONE EIAi. 2,795,391

PILOT CONTROLLED FILLING NOZZLE 7 Filed Nov. 24,1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS: fiew -azaz'wes za gzgimzq er,

Z MZMM United States Patent PILOT CONTROLLED FILLING NOZZLE Howard C. Krone, Short Hills, and William Meyer, East Orange, N. .L, assiguors to Wheaton Brass Works, Union, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey I Application November 24, 1954, Serial No. 470,975

3 Claims. (Cl. 251-38) This invention relates to improvements in filling nozzles having manually actuatable control valve means; said nozzles being of the type used in dispensing liquid supplied under pressure, as e. g. for use in supplying gasoline to fuel tanks of aeroplanes, land vehicles, marine craft, or to other types of transport tanks.

In a filling nozzle having manually actuatable control valve means, it is desirable to provide means whereby the pressure of the supply liquid can be availed to normally hold the control valve means closed upon its seat. Provision of such means, however, when the liquid dispensed therethrough is delivered thereto at-considerable pressure, not only renders the control valve means difiicult to open against pressure, but requires tiring exercise of considerable force by the hand of the operator to hold the valve means, after it is opened, in full open position, especially with respect toa nozzle of relatively large size.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a filling nozzle, the manually actuatable main valve of which is chambered to telescopically cooperate with a chambered dash pot, means being provided to admit pressure liquid to the interior of the main valve and dash pot, under closed main valve conditions, whereby the pressure liquid within the main valve and dash pot interior urges the main valve to normally closed relation to the nozzle intake; the main valve and dash pot structure being further provided with an internal pressure relief valve; and manipulatable means being provided, which is operative, during the initial phase of its main valve opening movement, to first open the pressure relief valve so as to quickly reduce pressure within the main valve and dash pot structure, and thereafter to move the main valve to open position; all whereby the nozzle can be opened to liquid dispensing flow and held open by the hand of the operator by application of minimum physical force and effort, since but substantially reduced finger gripping force is required to be applied to the trigger lever of the manually'actuatable valve opening means. I

This invention has for a further object to provide a filling nozzle, characterized as above stated, in which the chambered main valve and dash pot structure is so dimensioned that the internal area of the main valve which, in the closed condition of said main valve, is subjected to pressure of the contained liquid, is greater than the external area of said main valve which is directly opposed to pressure of the liquid supply line, whereby said main valve is normally firmly held in nozzle closing relation to its seat and to the nozzle intake.

This invention has for another object to provide a filling nozzle, characterized as above stated, in which the main v-alve chamber and the dot dash pot chamber have balanced internal pressure areas; spring means being provided to move the main valve to its closed position, when the means for manually actuating the same is released.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel arrangement and construction of hand operable means for effecting the opening movement of the nozzle valve Patented June 11, 1957 means; said hand operable means including a hand grip and a pivoted finger engageable trigger lever, the latter being connected by gearing to a valve raising lever.

The above and other objects will be understood from a reading of the following detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings,

in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a filling nozzle according to this invention, with the main valve and pressure relief valve thereof shown in normal closed and nozzle shut off condition; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view, showing the pressure relief valve as opened by the initial phase of the hand operable control means preparatory to effecting opening movement of the main valve; and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the main valve in fully opened condition.

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary horizontal sectional view, taken on line 44 in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicates the cylindrical main body of the nozzle, the lower end of which is provided with an intake branch 11 which communicates, through an axially disposed inlet port 12, with the interior of said main body. Leading laterally outward from the side of said main body, above the inlet port 12, is the outlet or discharge branch 13 of the nozzle. Surrounding the interior upper side of said inlet port 12 is a chamfered main valve seat 14. Opposed to the valve seat 14, for axial movement within the main body 10, is a main valve 15, which is provided with an annular sealing element 16 of suitable resilient material adapted to contact and seal against said valve seat 14, when the main valve is disposed in closed relation to the inlet port 12. The main valve 15 is provided with an upwardly extending and upwardly open cylindrical extension 17, which provides said main valve with an internal chamber 18. It is preferable to prevent rotation of the main valve about its vertical axis, and, to this end, the extension 17 thereof is provided with an external vertical male spline 19 to slidably engage in an internal vertical female spline 20 with which the wall of the main body 10 is provided.

Threaded into the upper open end of the main body 10 of the nozzle is a closure head 21. Dependent from said closure head 21, within the upper interior of the main body 10, is a stationary, downwardlyopen, cylin: drical dash pot 22, the external diameter of which corresponds to the internal diameter of the extension 17 of the main valve 15, whereby to be telescopically engaged by the latter, when the latter is moved relative thereto. To seal said dash pot 22 relative to the extension 17 of the main valve 15, the former is provided, intermediate its free end portion and the free end portion of the latter, with a seal ring 23. Said dash pot provides an in ternal chamber 24 which opens toward andinto the internal chamber 18 of the main valve.

The main valve 15 is provided with an admission port 25 of suitably limited cross-sectional area, which leads from the intake branch 11 of the nozzle into the internal chambers 18 and 24 of the main valve and dash pot structure. When the main valve 15 is seated on the valve seat 14 against flow of liquid under pressure from the supply source through the main body 10 for delivery through the discharge branch 13 of the nozzle, the pressure liquid is nevertheless permitted to enter through .said admission port 25 into and so as to fill the internal chambers 18 and 24 of the main valveand dash pot structure, whereby the entered pressure liquid exerts its pressure force against the internal end area of the main valve 15, so as to urge and hold said main valve in closed relation to the inlet port 12. The bottom area of theinternal chamber 18 of the main valve 15 is dimensioned to be in excess of the external area of said main valve which, in the closed position of said main valve, is opposed to the pressure of the liquid supply line. As a consequence of this, the internal or downward pressure exerted upon said main valve is substantially in excess of external or upward pressure exerted thereupon by the liquid supply line, so that said main valve will be strongly held in its closed position against liquid supply line pressure.

The main valve and dash pot structure is provided with means which is responsive to the manually operable valve control means presently to be described, whereby to relieve the internal pressure exerted by the pressure liquid contained therein during the initial phase of the manual control means operation. This pressure relief means comprises a relief valve housing 26 which is axially dis posed within the main valve chamber 18, so as to form a unitary part of the main valve 15. The interior of said housing 26 provides a relief valve chamber 27 the upper end of which is closed by a closure plug or cap 28 having an mtial bore 29. Axially slidable within the relief valve chamber 27 is a relief valve 30. Coupled to said relief valve 30, as by a T-coupling connection 31 or other suitable coupling means, is a valve stem 32, which extends upwardly through the bore 29 of said closure plug or cap 28, and thence through the main valve and dash pot chambers 18 and 24 to pass outwardly through a bearing hub 33 with which the closure head 21 of the main body of the nozzle is provided so as to project exteriorly from said main body. The valve stem and bearing hub are sealed against leakage by a seal ring 34. Provided in the side wall of the relief valve housing 26 are vent ports 35, which lead into the relief valve chamber 27 from the chambers 18-24 of the main valve and dash pot structure. The bottom of the relief valve chamber 27 is provided with a discharge port 36, from which a discharge passage 37 extends laterally through the body of the main valve 15, so as to communicate with the discharge branch 13 of the nozzle. The bottom end of the relief valve 30 carries a seal element 38 which, when said relief valve 30 is disposed in its lowered position so as to close the vent ports. 35, seals against and closes said discharge port 36. Both the relief valve 30 and the main valve are urged to their respective closed positions by a compression spring 39, which is mounted around the valve stem 32 between the closure head 21 and a cross head 40 that is affixed to the valve stem above the relief valve housing 26.

The means for manually actuating the nozzle valve devices comprises a downwardly open hollow supporting member 41, which is suitably aflixed to the main body of the nozzle, as e. g. by a split attachment collar 42 engaged around the externally projecting portion of the bearing hub 33 with which the closure head 21 of the main body 10 of the nozzle is provided, so as to overhang the exteriorly projecting end portion of the valve stem 32, and so as to extend in offset relation to the main body 10 of the nozzle in direction opposite to that at which the discharge branch 13 of said nozzle extends. Extending angularly downward from the free rearward end of said hollow supporting member 41, preferably as an integral part thereof, is a hand grip portion 43, the lower end of which is tied to the lower end of the nozzle main body 10 by a supporting bracket arm or brace 44. Pivotally mounted within the interior of the hollow supporting member 41, on a transverse fulcrum pin 45, which is supported by and between the side Walls thereof, is a forwardly directed valve actuating lever member 46, having a bifurcated or forked free end portion 47 to straddle the exteriorly projecting portion of the valve stem 32. Suitably affixed on the free end portion of the valve stem 32, as e. g. by threading the same thereon, is an abutment piece 48, which is engageable by the underlying bifurcated or forked free end portion 47 of the valve actuating lever member 46. The rearwardly extending por tion of said lever member 46 is formed to provide a segmental gear member 49. Also pivotally mounted within the interior of the hollow supporting member 41 on a transverse fulcrum pin 50, which is likewise supported by and between the side walls thereof rearwardly of the valve actuating lever member 46, is a trigger lever 51. Said trigger lever depends from its fulcrum in downward extension between the m'ain body 10 of the nozzle and said hand grip portion 43, so as to be engageable by the fingers of the hand of an operator which grasps said hand grip portion, subject to movement thereby. The forwardly extending portion of said trigger lever 51 is formed to provide a segmental gear member 52, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of the segmental gear member 49 of the valve actuating lever member 46, so that forced movement of said trigger lever is transmitted to said valve actuating lever member and vice versa.

The trigger lever 51 when released, permits the spring 39 to exert downward thrust upon the valve stem 32. Downward movement of the valve stem moves the relief valve 30 to its lowered position within the housing 26, in which position said relief valve closes the vent ports 35 against escape of liquid from the main valve and dash pot chambers 1824, and at the same time closes and seals the discharge port 36. In such lowered position, the relief valve 30 abuts the main valve 15, whereby the thrust of the spring 39 is likewise transmitted to the main valve, so as to seat the same in closed relation to the nozzle inlet port 12 (see Fig. 1).

Under the described closed valve conditions, liquid from the supply line is admitted through the admission port 25 into the interior of the main valve and dash pot chambers 18-24 at supply line presusre. Due to this, the thus admitted liquid exercises its pressure downwardly against the main valve 15, thereby strongly and firmly holding the latter in liquid shut off closed relation to the nozzle inlet port 12.

To open the nozzle for liquid dispensing flow, the operator grasps the hand grip 43 in such manner as to engage the trigger lever 51 by the fingers of the grasping hand, whereupon, by contracting the fingers, said trigger lever is drawn outwardly to rotate its gear member 52 counter clockwise,.thus rotating the gear member 49 of the valve actuating lever member 46 clockwise so as to upswing the latter, and thereby draw upward the valve stem 32 with valve opening effect. As opening of the nozzle is started, the initial phase of trigger lever actuation first raises the relief valve 30 until it abuts the upper end of the housing 26, such upward movement thereby uncovering the vent ports 35, and opening the discharge port 36 and discharge passage 37 to outflow of liquid from the main valve and dash pot chambers 18--24, before any lifting effect is transmitted to the main valve 15 (see Fig. 2). Since the cross sectional area of the vent port means is sized to be substantially in excess of the cross sectional area of the admission port 25, when said vent port means is open, the pressure of liquid contained in the main valve and dash pot chambers 1824 is rapidly and sharply reduced by the venting of the liquid from said chambers faster than the liquid can enter therein through the admission port 25. As a consequence of this, when continued upward movement of the relief valve 30, as abutted against the top of its chamber 27, is effected by continued outswinging movement of the trigger lever 51, upward movement is transmitted to the main valve 15, so as to open the inlet port to dispensing outflow of liquid through the nozzle from the supply line (see Fig. 3). Since, at this time, liquid contained in the main valve and dash pot chambers 1824 can be rapidly vented with sharp reduction of its pressure resistance to main valve opening movement, it follows that the nozzle can be opened to liquid dispensing flow and held fully open by the operator by application of minimum physical force and effort by the trigger lever squeezing fingers of the operators hand.

When it is desired to shut ofi the nozzle after a filling operation, the operator releases the trigger lever 51, whereupon the spring 39 is free to exercise valve closing downward thrust upon the valve stem 32. The first effect of such down thrust is to move downward the relief valve 30 to vent port and discharge port closing position, thus preventing outflow of liquid from the main valve and dash pot chambers 18-24, before closing movement is transmitted to the main valve 15. By reason of this, as the main valve moves toward closed position, its closing movement isretarded by the dash pot action, since the size of the admission port 25 restricts the inflow of liquid into the main valve and dash pot chambers 1824, thereby assuring slow closing of the main valve without shock or causing liquid hammer in the supply line.

Having now described our invention, we claim:

1. A filling nozzle comprising a main body having an intake branch leading to an inlet port at the lower end of said body and a discharge branch leading outwardly from a side of said body, a stationary downwardly open hollow dash pot within the upper portion of said body, a hollow upwardly open main valve movable to open and close said inlet port, said main valve being telescopically slidable relative to and in communication with said dash pot whereby to provide in common with the latter an internal dash pot chamber, the internal bottom area of the main valve being in excess of the area of the inlet port, said main valve having an admission port leading therethrough from the nozzle intake branch into the interior of said dash pot chamber to admit supply liquid under pressure thereinto, whereby to hold the main valve closed relative to said inlet port, means to vent pressure liquid from the interior of the main valve and dash pot assembly comprising a relief valve housing connected with said main valve to extend into the dash pot chamber, said housing having vent port means leading thereinto from the interior of the dash pot chamber, said main valve having pressure liquid discharge means leading therethrough out of said housing to the nozzle discharge branch, a relief valve slidably movable in said housing and cooperating with the latter to provide a lost motion connection thereof with said main valve, said relief valve in its lowered position being adapted to close said vent port means and pressure liquid discharge means and in its raised position to open the same, a valve stem coupled to said relief valve to extend upwardly therefrom for exterior projection from said nozzle body, spring means to urge said valve stem in valve closing direction, and manually operable means for moving said valve stem in valve opening direction and operative to first open the relief valve to vent pressure liquid whereby to relieve the main valve from its pressure eifect and thereafter to open said main valve. I

2. A filling nozzle according to claim 1 wherein the manually operable means for actuating the valve stem comprises a frame structure including a hand grip, said frame structure being afiixed to the nozzle body so as to overhang the exteriorly projecting end portion of the valve stem and so as to offset the hand grip relative to said body, in direction opposite to that at which the discharge branch of the latter extends, a valve stem actuating lever memoer pivotally mounted in the frame structure, a finger engageable trigger lever also pivotally supported by the frame structure to depend therefrom between its hand grip and the nozzle body, and said actuating lever member and trigger lever having meshed gear members whereby movement of one is transmitted to the other.

3. A filling nozzle according to claim 2 in which the cross sectional area of the vent port means and discharge means of the means to vent pressure liquid from the interior of the main valve and dash pot assembly is substantially in excess of the cross sectional area of the admission port.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 724,304 Lonergan Mar. 31, 1903 1,031,294 Schutte July 2, 1912 1,821,206 Caswell Sept. 1, 1931 1,981,230 Glab Nov. 20, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,055,252 France Oct. 14, 1953 

